Laundry feeder method and apparatus

Abstract

A laundry feeder method and apparatus for feeding laundry articles to a spreader apparatus is provided. The feeder allows large king size sheets, as well as other sized laundry articles, to be conveniently readied for spreading by a user. A fixed target is provided on the feeder. The user merely drapes a portion of the laundry article over the fixed target or inserts an edge of the article into a moveable clamp. The moveable clamp then moves along a track to the fixed target for clamping the laundry article. The clamp is then moved away from the fixed target, pulling the laundry article to the spreader, such as the spreader disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,627. Multiple fixed targets and associated moveable clamps may be provided to increase the throughput.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A laundry feeder apparatus for processing laundry articles, the apparatus comprising: a support;   a fixed target connected with the support, the fixed target comprising back and front sides adapted to allow a laundry article to drape over both the back and front sides; and   a clamp moveably connected with the support and operable to clamp a laundry article draped on the fixed target.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the fixed target has at least two notches; and   the clamp comprises at least two clamps, each clamp positionable at a respective one of the at least two notches.   
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fixed target comprises a horizontally positioned plate. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a second fixed target adjacent to the fixed target connected with the support. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a track connected with the support wherein the clamp is moveably connected with the track. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a second clamp, the second clamp positioned adjacent a first end of the track and the fixed target positioned adjacent a second end of the track, the second clamp operable to receive the laundry article from the clamp. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a spreader apparatus, wherein the clamp is operable to move the laundry article from the target to adjacent the spreader apparatus. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a laundry article sensor adjacent the fixed target. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein: the fixed target has a notch;   the laundry article sensor comprises a light beam sensor aimed through the notch.   
     
     
       10. A method for feeding laundry articles, the method comprising the steps of: (a) draping a laundry article over a fixed target;   (b) clamping the draped laundry article with a clamp; and   (c) moving the clamp and clamped laundry article away from the target.   
     
     
       11. The method of claim 10 wherein step (a) comprises placing an edge of the laundry article on a back side of the fixed target with a majority of the laundry article hanging from a front side of the fixed target. 
     
     
       12. The method of claim 10 wherein step (b) comprises clamping the draped laundry article in two locations near an edge of the laundry article. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim 12 wherein step (b) comprises clamping the draped laundry article in the two locations, the two locations being spaced from and not including the edge but closer to the edge than another edge of the laundry article. 
     
     
       14. The method of claim 10 wherein step (c) comprises moving the clamp and the laundry article upwards. 
     
     
       15. The method of claim 14 wherein step (c) comprises moving the clamp and the laundry article upwards to a spreader apparatus. 
     
     
       16. The method of claim 10: wherein step (c) comprises moving the laundry article to a second clamp;   further comprising: (d) clamping the laundry article with the second clamp; and   (e) moving the laundry article to a spreader apparatus with the second clamp.     
     
     
       17. A method for feeding laundry articles, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a fixed target operable to have a laundry article draped over the fixed target by a user;   (b) clamping the draped laundry article at a portion being spaced from each edge of the laundry article without clamping the edges; and   (c) moving the clamped laundry article away from the target.   
     
     
       18. An apparatus for feeding a laundry article placed by a user, the apparatus comprising: a target operable to receive the laundry article; and   a moveable clamp operable to clamp a portion of the laundry article on the target without clamping edges of the laundry article.   
     
     
       19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the target comprises a fixed target. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein: the target has at least two notches; and   the moveable clamp comprises at least two clamps, each clamp positionable at a respective one of the at least two notches.   
     
     
       21. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising: a second target adjacent to the target connected with the support;   a second moveable clamp;   a spreader in-feed;   a first track operative to guide the moveable clamp from the target to the spreader in-feed; and   a second track operative to guide the second moveable clamp from the second target to the spreader in-feed.   
     
     
       22. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising a transfer clamp, the transfer clamp positioned adjacent the spreader in-feed and one end of each of the first and second tracks, the transfer clamp operable to receive laundry articles from the moveable and second moveable clamps and to transfer the laundry articles to the spreader in-feed. 
     
     
       23. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising a spreader apparatus, wherein the moveable clamp is operable to move the laundry article from the target to adjacent the spreader apparatus. 
     
     
       24. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising a laundry article sensor adjacent the target. 
     
     
       25. A method for feeding laundry articles, the method comprising the steps of: (a) optionally performing one of: draping a laundry article over front and back sides of a target and inserting the laundry article into a clamp wherein both options are available;   (b) clamping the laundry article; and   (c) moving the clamp and the laundry article to a spreader.   
     
     
       26. A laundry feeder apparatus for processing laundry articles, the apparatus comprising: a support;   a fixed target connected with the support, the fixed target having a notch;   a laundry article sensor adjacent the fixed target comprising a light beam sensor aimed through the notch; and   a clamp moveably connected with the support and operable to clamp a laundry article draped on the fixed target.   
     
     
       27. A laundry feeder apparatus for processing laundry articles, the apparatus comprising: a support;   a fixed target connected with the support, the fixed target comprising an upper portion adapted to allow a laundry article to drape over and around the upper portion; and   a clamp moveably connected with the support and operable to clamp a laundry article draped on the fixed target.   
     
     
       28. A laundry feeder apparatus for processing laundry articles, the apparatus comprising: a support;   a fixed target connected with the support; and   a clamp moveably connected with the support, operable to clamp a laundry article draped on the fixed target, and operable to move with the laundry article away from the fixed target.   
     
     
       29. A method for feeding laundry articles, the method comprising the steps of: (a) draping a laundry article over back and front sides of a fixed target;   (b) clamping the draped laundry article with a clamp; and   (c) moving the clamped laundry article away from the target.